The "proprietary" label for Unix is based on the fact that the promise of
platform independence that Unix was supposed to provide was never really
realized.  Each manufacturer has its own version of Unix, with its own
extensions and peculiarities.  Linux, because of the open source model, is
far less platform-specific.  The open source license, as I understand it,
requires that any extension a vendor develops must be made available to the
community at large.  Since Linux is being enhanced and corrected by the user
community, the support and development costs are far less than with Unix.
Shops that choose Linux are less vulnerable to the whims of a manufacturer
than other OS's.  (This is not to say that HP announced the MPE EOL on a
whim ;-).)

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Hula [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 6:26 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: OT: Linux


I have worked a bit on HP and IBM unix boxes. I thought they were (for the
most part) like unix anywhere else and that Linux was yet another version of
unix. So why am I hearing that HP-UX is considered proprietary and likely to
be axed, whereas people are migrating from HP-UX or NT to Linux?

Tom Hula (Just Wondering in Michigan)
Victor S. Barnes Company
(616)361-7351  x173
(616)361-6633  fax

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